WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) -- Election season is here and candidates far and wide are doing their best to win votes and unseat incumbents. That includes our seventh congressional seat, where Democrat Mike McIntyre is facing competition from GOP candidates: Ilario Pantano, Randy Crow and Senator David Rouzer.

The three candidates took their seats in front of a packed house at the New Hanover County Courthouse Tuesday night.

They were given 90 seconds to answer questions on several key issues from tax code reformation to job creation.

When asked what's the one thing Congress can do to create more jobs, Pantano said, "The Paul Ryan budget speaks to lower tax rates at the corporate level. Do you know that right now America has the highest tax rate in the world? We need to bring that down and the Ryan budget does just that."

Sticking with job creation, Crow said, “We need to reduce the corporate income tax from 25% to 15%."

“We need to get rid of the rules and regulations that are hindering business and preventing people from starting up new businesses,” Sen. Rouzer said.

The candidates also addressed restoring Medicare and Social Security, energy independence and the role the U.S. should play in combating Iran's nuclear threat.

A major theme of the night was the candidates' disapproval of the current presidential administration.

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This is the same old rhetoric that every republican running for office spouts. Does anyone appreciate irony? I'm waiting for Pantano to start talking about gun control. Something he knows nothing about, obviously, since he can't control his.